He said: “There were people in tears when they heard the news. Barry’s a good guy and he was hugely popular.

“We got promoted two weeks before the start of the season. If that hadn’t happened and we’d been in the First Division, I have no doubt whatsoever we’d be sitting at the top.

“The manager had been building a team for that league and if we’d been in it he’d still have a job.

“He had built a team of proven Division One players and he would have won that league.

“We played Morton a few weeks ago. They are five points clear at the top of that league and we put five past them.

“It’s harsh. Barry has suffered because of the circumstances the club has been put in.

“Nobody is ever going to turn down the chance to be in the SPL, but ultimately that is what has cost the manager his job.

“Managers in the SPL will have been planning for next season from a few months ago — that’s about eight or nine months of planning.

“Barry had a few weeks to do it. He’s brought in players, but it was all very rushed.”

Smith achieved legend status at Dundee as a player, making over 400 appearances in 10 years there.

But what he achieved in the first few months as boss after replacing Gordon Chisholm was arguably more important.

Lockwood is adamant no one will forget Smith’s role in saving Dundee from oblivion.

He said: “The board have maybe decided to go in another direction, but I don’t think people will forget the role Barry played in saving this club.

“If you look at what he’s done over the last couple of years it has been fantastic.

“Barry and the players who kept the team going after administration saved the club from relegation to Division Two.”

Smith saw off an attempted boardroom coup in January and was assured that his job was safe.

But with the Dark Blues 15 points adrift at the foot of the SPL, that proved to be only a stay of execution. Lockwood was shocked not only by Smith’s exit, but the timing of it, so close to next weekend’s Scottish Cup quarter-final derby with Dundee United.

He added: “It might be a step too far to stay in the league, but who is to say we won’t beat United and win the Cup? So the timing of it is strange.

“I don’t know if the manager was told he’d definitely be safe, but football is a horrible business at times.

“I just don’t understand the timing of it, but nothing should surprise you. There’s no loyalty in football. It’s horrible when things like this happen.”

The first Lockwood and his team-mates knew of Smith’s departure was when their gaffer turned up late for training and told them the news himself.

The left-back admits the players were stunned and are shouldering a burden of guilt.

He said: “He was very emotional, as was everyone because we all liked the manager.

“It’s our fault. Football is a results business and every time a manager gets sacked, players have to look at themselves.

“We have under-performed and he’s lost his job because of that. The boys are gutted.

“Barry has paid the ultimate price for our results.” Assistant boss Ray Farningham, who left Montrose to return to full-time football at the start of the season, has been placed in temporary charge.

And Dundee have already started the search for Smith’s successor, with former Aberdeen gaffer Jimmy Calderwood in pole position.

Lockwood hopes they get a new man in as soon as possible and said: “We don’t know if they have someone lined up, but we’ve been told that Jinky will be in charge for the meantime.

“We’ll just have to wait and see who comes in.

“But you’d imagine that because they’ve made this decision they will have someone lined up.”